Paris – A French minister accused American diplomats on Sunday to interfere with the operations of French companies by sending them a letter telling them that the president of the United States, Donald Trump Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives It could also be applied outside the United States.
The French media said that the letter received by the main French companies was signed by an official of the United States Department of State who is in the United States Embassy staff in Paris. The embassy did not answer the questions this weekend of Associated Press.
Le Figaro Daily Newspaper published what he said was a copy of the letter. The document said that an executive order that Trump signed in January Finishing from the Federal Government also “applies to all suppliers and service providers of the United States government, regardless of their nationality and the country in which they operate.”
The document asked the recipients to complete, sign and return within five days a separate certification form to demonstrate that they comply.
This form, also published by Le Figaro, said: “All State Department contractors must certify that they do not operate any program that promotes Dei to violate applicable anti -demination laws.”
The form asked the recipients to mark a box to confirm that “they do not operate any program that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion that violates federal applicable anti -discriminatory laws.”
The letter added: “If you do not agree to sign this document, we would thank you if I could provide detailed reasons, which we will forward to our legal services.”
Aurore Bergé, the Minister of Equality of France between women and men and fighting discrimination, said Sunday that the letter is “obviously a form of interference. That is to say that it is an attempt to impose a Diktat on our businesses.”
In statements to the BFMTV station, he said that the government of France is “following the situation very close” and working to determine how many companies received the letter.
The minister said that “many” companies have told the government that they do not plan to answer: “Because they do not have an answer, in fact, to a kind of ultimatum established by the United States embassy in our country.”
“It is out of the matter that we will prevent our business from promoting social progress,” said the minister. “Fortunately, many French companies do not plan to change their rules.”
